When you nock an arrow in kyudo, the nock does not sit on bare string. It sits on the nakajikake (中仕掛け, also written 中関) — a short section of the bowstring that has been wrapped to a thickness that fits your arrow nocks.
At first you may use a string with a nakajikake already made, or have a senior make one for you. Sooner or later, though, you will need to check it, rebuild it, or make one on a new string. This guide covers what the Japanese sources say about it.
The short answer
- The nakajikake is the part of the string where you nock the arrow (All Nippon Kyudo Federation).
- It must fit the nock. The Federation warns that if it is too thick or too thin for the nock, shots tend to go wrong.
- It is built thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, like a chimaki rice dumpling (Suizan Kyugu, a kyudo shop).
- Do not set the nocking point too low. The Federation warns that a nocking point that is low relative to the grip can injure the thumb of your bow hand.
- On a new synthetic string, draw the bow a few times without an arrow before making the nakajikake. The string stretches at first, and this reduces how often you have to redo it (Suizan Kyugu).
What the nakajikake does
The Federation’s equipment page defines it simply: the part of the string where the arrow is nocked is called the nakajikake.
Its job is fit. Your nock (hazu) should hold the string firmly enough that the arrow stays on, but not so tightly that it disturbs the release. The Federation puts it this way: if the nakajikake is too thick or too thin for the nock, it becomes easy to fail when shooting. When you change arrows — especially to a set with different nocks — check that the fit still feels the same.
Choosing arrows is covered in Choosing kyudo arrows.
How it is built
According to the Federation’s page, the nakajikake is made with roughly 15 cm of hemp, placed 1–1.5 cm above the nocking position. The string is first rubbed well with a magusune (a tool used to rub the string) so that kusune (a resin compound) soaks into it, and at the end the wrap is tightened firmly with a dōhō (道宝, the tool the Federation names for this last step).
Suizan Kyugu adds one rule about shape: the nakajikake should always be thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, like a chimaki. It is not wrapped to an even thickness from end to end.
The exact wrapping technique is easiest to learn in person. If you have a teacher or a senior at your dojo, ask them to watch you make the first one.
Why the height matters
The Federation gives a safety warning: if the nocking point is low relative to the grip, it can cause injury to the thumb of the left (bow) hand. When you make a new nakajikake, set the nocking position before you wrap, and check it again after the string has settled.
A T-shaped nocking gauge (jūmonji) placed against the bow lets you check that the arrow sits at a right angle to the string and read the distance from the grip to the string (the brace height).
Doing it on a new string
Synthetic strings stretch when they are new. Suizan Kyugu recommends stringing the bow with a slightly higher brace height and drawing it a few times without an arrow before you make the nakajikake. Once the string has stretched, the nocking position moves less, so you rebuild the nakajikake less often.
How to string the bow itself is in Stringing a yumi, and when to replace the string is in When to replace a kyudo bowstring.
When to rebuild it
Look again at the nakajikake when:
- the arrow falls off the string or feels loose in the nock;
- the nock feels tight, or the arrow seems to catch at the release;
- you change arrows and the new nocks fit differently;
- the wrap has worn, frayed, or shifted;
- you have put on a new string.
If you are not sure whether the problem is the nakajikake, the nock, or your torikake (the way the glove takes the string), ask your teacher to look before you rewrap it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a string with a ready-made nakajikake?
You can. Check that it fits your nocks and that the nocking point is not low, using a nocking gauge if you have one.
Is the nakajikake the same thickness all the way along?
No. Suizan Kyugu says it should be thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom.
Does giriko go on the nakajikake?
No. Giriko is used on the glove — on the middle finger (the ring finger on a four-finger yotsugake), rubbed against the thumb. See How to use giriko.
Summary
- The nakajikake is where the arrow is nocked, and it must fit the nock.
- It is made thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, and tightened firmly.
- A low nocking point can injure the bow-hand thumb.
- On a new string, draw the bow a few times before making the nakajikake.
Sources (checked 18 October 2026): All Nippon Kyudo Federation — Equipment (道具について) / Suizan Kyugu — Choosing a bowstring (弦の選び方)